$1/2 PLO short handed early on (1 Viewer)

[Rhodeman77]

We are 4 handed playing 2 rounds of PLO and 2 rounds of Hold’em until a few more players show up then we will go to round by round.

We are about 5 or 6 hands into the game and everyone is still right around their $300 starting stacks.

The players:
Hero (UTG) skilled LAG. Plays a very wide range, strong hand reading, most skilled PLO player of the group. Most of the table think he is a luck box.

Josh the Nit (button). He is a nit by our game standards but realistically more loose passive really. Knows hand values, only bets the nuts for the most part especially if multiway. Easy to bluff as he is always seeing monsters under the bed.

TK (SB) Hero’s personal ATM most games. Lots of history with each other. Over playes any PP Tens or higher in PLO preflop, especially if there is even just 1 connected card or a suite. Thinks he know PLO but is still really a Hold’em player trying to adjust. Goes on major tilt if he loses a big pot or once he starts drinking.

Nick (B.B.) horrible, horrible player!!! No clue in PLO, barely a clue in Hold’em and he has been playing for 10+ years. Just an action junkie. Everyone wants to get in pots with Nick!

Hero is dealt and is first to act. What do we do?

 

[colter ripton]

Pot

 

[Highli99]

4 handed have to bet here. Everyone will expect wider ranges so a call or even re-raise is probable.

 

[detroitdad]

pot

 

[CraigT78]

It's 4:20 time. Pot.

 

[ohio3302016]

All in.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Pretty easy decision here, we are raising, Hero goes with his standard open though of $5.

Button folds, TK (SB) makes it $20 (woohoo!!)

Nick folds and action is back to us.

Are we calling or raising? If raising, how much?

 

[detroitdad]

Pretty easy decision here, we are raising, Hero goes with his standard open though of $5.

Button folds, TK (SB) makes it $20 (woohoo!!)

Nick folds and action is back to us.

Are we calling or raising? If raising, how much?

raise to 50.

 

[BGinGA]

I'm shoveling as many chips into the pot as I think he will call. Go with your history with this guy.

 

[Jonesey07]

Get the money in with the best hand.

You know he's committed to a certain amount at this point so push your luck.

 

[trever]

If you think he might gii now with KKxx and/or if your re-raising range here is bigger than AAxx, then go ahead and make it 50. Otherwise, you might want to just smooth call and let him overplay his hand on later streets.

 

[Forty4]

Four handed ranges should be wide open so no need to get fancy, IMO.

 

[Basmx]

I think this is almost always a 4bet. Most players that I play with will never fold to a 4 bet when they 3bet. It's pretty unlikely he has a KKxx hand because you have a king. So he most likely has a rundown or even a double suited rundown. Flatting in that spot would be a pretty big mistake in my eyes. Hit the pot button and pretty much get in on any flop. And pray to the poker gods for a good runout!!

 

[Kain8]

Keep dumping money in!

 

[Rhodeman77]

If you think he might gii now with KKxx and/or if your re-raising range here is bigger than AAxx, then go ahead and make it 50. Otherwise, you might want to just smooth call and let him overplay his hand on later streets.

Hero is about the only one at the table that will 4 bet with a hand other than AAxx. Double suited run downs for sure will be 4 bet.

Hero figures TK for 4 cards 9 or higher. Good chance of a PP, Queens being the most likely pair since we have the Aces and a blocker to Kings.

 

[v1pe]

I have no idea, but I'm watching with interest. I feel like if it was me, I would probably just flat...but I'm certainly no PLO expert. PLO equities just seem to run so close pre-flop, so I'd prefer to see a flop and make our decision based on board texture. We have a pretty low SPR going to the flop with $250 and a $100 pot.

 

[Lemonzest]

I have no idea, but I'm watching with interest. I feel like if it was me, I would probably just flat...but I'm certainly no PLO expert. PLO equities just seem to run so close pre-flop, so I'd prefer to see a flop and make our decision based on board texture. We have a pretty low SPR going to the flop with $250 and a $100 pot.

I think it is precisely because equities run close that we want to get money into the pot while we have the best hand. Preflop rockets are without question the best possible hand. Once the flop and turn come - who knows...

If stacks are deeper then it becomes "less good" to shovel chips in preflop with AA since the villain can hit a hand on the turn or river and put hero in a very awkward spot.

I am also just speculating since I don't know PLO well at all...

 

[Rhodeman77]

I have no idea, but I'm watching with interest. I feel like if it was me, I would probably just flat...but I'm certainly no PLO expert. PLO equities just seem to run so close pre-flop, so I'd prefer to see a flop and make our decision based on board texture. We have a pretty low SPR going to the flop with $250 and a $100 pot.

If we flat the pot will only be $40 with $260 or so behind

 

[CraigT78]

I'm betting here - probably going $60

 

[Jimulacrum]

Pot. Then pot again, with the plan to pot pot pot pot pot pot.

 

[Rhodeman77]

So pretty much everyone thinks this is a raising spot. So does Hero.

Hero makes it $65 to go.

TK makes some comment about Hero “always having it” and then calls.

Flop comes and TK bets $65.

With the flop bet pot is now $197

Action is on Hero now. Do we fold, call, raise? If we raise is it anything less than all-in?

 

[gopherblue]

Pot

 

[Highli99]

Folding is way too nitty. A call seems reasonable as does a raise. TK could have a crappy two pair if he played a hand with a suited king. He could have a small set which would be unfortunate. He could also just have K in which case we are sitting pretty. With the K blocker, it is unlikely he has a set of Kings.

Given the bio of TK overplaying his hands, he probably has a King and we should raise. I'd min-raise to keep a value bet.

 

[Jimulacrum]

Pot. Especially against this type of player, there's not much room for decision. Can't make a pot this big and abandon it over one bet on such a relatively dry flop, and calling would be silly.

 

[navels]

. . . and calling would be silly.

why?

 

[Chippy McChiperson]

You block top set, and even if he does have it, you have two backdoor nut flush draws, and can also blink an ace. He may also just have the other two aces, in which case you’re way ahead unless he somehow has AA44, AA22, or AAK4, all of which are unlikely. Get it in!

 

[Payback]

Easy decision. Pot.

 

[Kain8]

Keep shovelling money into that pot and if I hear your safe word to stop, it'll be ignored.

 

[Rhodeman77]

Keep shovelling money into that pot and if I hear your safe word to stop, it'll be ignored.

Hahahahaha :wideeyed:

 

[v1pe]

If we flat the pot will only be $40 with $260 or so behind

Oops, I misread something and thought the raise was to $50... Which wouldn't make sense since this is pot limit.